Guide for well-casings.



W. M. SOUSAE & H. H. MoLAIN.

GUIDE FOR. WELL CASINGS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 24, 1913.

1,083,341 Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WZZzWz/Mhwae? Witnesses Inventors by W I I W Attorneys W. M. SOUSAE & H. H. MoLAIN.

GUIDE FOR WELL GASINGS;

APPLICATION FILED PEB.24,1913.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses fiai'lyiiMZ fll 7 Z, 5 y Q r I Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

WILLIAM M. SOUSAE AND HARRY I-I. McLAIN, 0F BLANDVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA.

'GUIDE FOR WELL-CASINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. c, 1914.

Application filed February 24, 1913. Serial N 0. 750,340.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, IVILLIAM M. SOUSAE and HARRY H. MCLAIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Blandville, in the county of Doddridge, State of Vest Virginia, have invented a new and useful Guide for ell-Casings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates'to an attachment for well rigging and which is designed to hold casing sections in position while they are being screwed together.

Heretofore in putting well casings in position it has been necessary to first elevate the casing to a point above the well after which the services of a person have been required to hold the casing steady while it is being screwed into position. This has been .both dangerous and difficult and often results in stripping some of the threads from the casing, thus necessitating its removal and rethreading.

One of the objects of the present invention is to overcome the objections heretofore experienced in guiding casings to their proper positions, by providing a structure which can be applied readily to ordinary well rigging and which will not be in the way during the ordinary operation of the rigging.

A further-object is to provide an attachment which can be easily adjusted to casings of different sizes and at different positions relative to the rigging.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invenion resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a well rigging having the present improvements thereon, the well casing being shown engaged by the attachment. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the attachment. FigJS is a plan view, thereof, parts being shown in section and one of the positions of the movable jaw being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a section on line AB Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one end port-ion of the pivoted arm of the attachment.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates one of the sills of' a may be secured thereto in any preferred manner. The eyes receive a rod or pintle 4: supported in place by means of a collar 5 which bears downwardly on one of the eyes.

A bracket 6 is mounted on the pintle 4 and is supported thereon by a collar 7, and this bracket has a brace 8 which engages the lower portion of the pintle and likewise bears downwardly on a collar 9. The bracket 6 has a longitudinal rib 10 which is straddled and slidably engaged by a slide 11, this rib being in the that the slide cannot lift therefrom. A set screw 12 is carried by the slide and serves to secure it against movement. Slide 11 is formed with an arm 13 the free end of which has a head 14 provided with a socket. Another arm 15 is pivotally connected to the slide 11, as indicated at 16 and is held normally against the arm 13 by a coiled spring 17. Arm 15 has a head 18 at its free end formed with a socket. Each head 14 and 18 has a set screw 19.

The heads 14 and 18 are adapted to receive shanks 20 formed at the inner ends of form of a dovetail, so

arcuate jaws-21, one of these jaws, which is connected to the head 18, being provided with an actuating cord 22 which extends laterally into engagement with a guide sheave 23 mounted on an angular support 24 which extends laterally from the slide 11.

A clip 25 of any suitable form is mounted.

on the headache post and is pivotally engaged by an elongated bail 26 having its free end portion arched, as at 27 to form a locking yoke adapted to straddle the arms 13 and 15 and hold them together.

When'the attachment is not in use the bail 26 is swung upwardly against theheadache post by means of a rope 28, one end of which is attached to yoke 27. This rope passes over a guide sheave 29 connected to the post and then extends downwardly to a point where it can be conveniently grasped.

The bracket 6, when not in use, is swung laterally out of the way.

In using the attachment the casing C is first elevated to position above the well in the usual manner and while it is thus held the rope 22 is pulled so as to cause arm 15 to swing away from arm 13. When arm 15 reaches the limit of its relative movement, a further pull on the rope 22 will cause the bracket to swing bodily until the jaw 21 comes against the upper end portion of casing C. The rope 29. is then released, whereupon spring 17 will swing arm 15 against arm 13 and bring the other jaw 21 into engagement. with the casing. Bail 2G is then lowered so as to cause the yoke 27 to straddle the arms and lock them together. Thus the casing will be securely held and can be rotated for the purpose of screwing it into the section thereunder. is to be understood that jaws 21 of different sizes can be used to engage casing of different sizes. Furthermore the slide ll can he adjusted relative to the bracket 6 so as to cause the jaw 21 to become properly centered on the casing.

In order that the to a stop as soon as bracket may be brought jaw 21 comes into contact with the well casing, a stop 30 is adjustably mounted on one side of the bracket and is adapted to contact with the headache post. By shifting this stop toward the jaws 21 the bracket will have a greater swinging movement to the right in Fig. 3 than by adjusting the stop toward the headache post.

"What is claimed is 1. An attachment for well rigging including a bracket mounted for lateral swinging movement and means carried by the bracket for embracing and supporting a casing.

2. An attachment for well rigging including a structure mounted a jaw fixed relative to the structure and adapted to engage a casing. another -jaw movable relative to the structure and adapted to engage the casing, and means for locking the jaws in engagement with the casing.

3. An attachment for well rigging including relatively movabte easing engaging jaws, means for movably connecting them to the headache post of a well rigging, and means for locking the jaws against. relative movement.

4. An. attachment for well rigging including relatively movable jaws for engaging and supporting a casing, means for connecting said jaws to a well rigging for horizontal swinging movement, and means for locking the jaws against relative movement while in engagement with a casing.

5. An attachment for well rigging including a bracket mounted to swing horizontally, fixed and movable casing engaging jaws carlo swing laterally,

ried thereby, means connected to the movable jaw for holding said jaw open and for swinging said bracket to posit-ion the fixed jaw upon a casing.

6. An attachment for well rigging including a bracket mounted to swing horizontally, fixed and movable casing engaging jaws -*arried thereby, means connected to the movable jaw for holding said jaw open and for swinging said bracket to position the fixed jaw upon a casing, and means for antomatically closing the movable jaw onto the engaged casing upon the release of said holding means.

7. An attachment for well rigging including a bracket mounted to swing horizontally, fixed and movable casing engaging aws carried thereby, means connected to the movable jaw for holding said jaw open and for swinging said bracket to position the fixed jaw upon a casing, and adjustable means for limiting the swinging movement of the bracket.

8. An attachment for well rigging including a bracket mounted to swing horizontally, fixed and movable casing engaging jaws carried thereby. means connected to the movable jaw for holding said jaw open and for swinging said bracket. to position the fixed jaw upon a casing, adjustable means for limiting the swinging movement otthc bracket, and means for automatically closing the movable jaw against the easing when said holding means is released.

9. An attachment for well rigging including a bracket mounted for horizontal swinging nmvement, a slide thereon, a fixed arm extending from the slide, a pivoted arm on the slide, and jaws detachably engaging the arms.

10. An attachment for well. rigging including a bracket mounted for horizontal swinging movement, a. slide thereon, a fixed arm extending from the slide, a pivoted arm on the slide, jaws detachably engaging the arms, and means for locking the arms together.

'11. An attachment for well rigging 111 eluding a bracket mounted for horizontal swinging mov n'ient, a slide thereon, a fixed arm extending from the slide, a pivoted arm on the slide, jaws detachably engaging the arms, and a gravity lock for securing the arms together.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto aiiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM M. SOUSAE. HARRY H. MoLAlN.

l Vitnesses:

D. C. Puma, A. V. Snanrs. 

